US: Ball Corp to close A-B InBev plants acquisition

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 14 August 2009

Packaging giant Ball Corporation plans to complete its acquisition of four beverage can plants from Anheuser-Busch InBev by the end of September.

Ball, which agreed in July to pay A-B InBev US$577m cash for the plants, said yesterday (13 August) that regulatory authorities have passed the deadline for requesting extra information on the deal.

As a result, Ball said it expects to complete the acquisition, which includes three beverage can plants and a can end plant, by around 30 September.

"We have developed detailed integration plans which we will begin to implement immediately after closing," said Ball chairman and CEO R. David Hoover.

For A-B InBev, the deal forms part of its $7bn assets disposals plan following InBev's $52bn takeover of A-B late last year.

The brewer has achieved $3.56bn in disposals, including the sale to Ball, in the first half of 2009, it said in its half-year results announcement yesterday.

Sectors: Beer & cider, Soft drinks

Companies: InBev, Anheuser-Busch